expanding the universal language of music

There is not much merit in truth these days but.. my thoughts on Empire.

I watched Empire as millions of others (at least African Americans) did last Wednesday night. Mind you, I made a mental note last season that I would stop watching the show. As the weeks drew out, I couldn’t help but become more curious as to how they left the show last season and how they’d pick things back up. I just happened to be at work and got caught in the “web”.

As a disclaimer I don’t watch soap operas and hardly made for tv, tv at all. (I’m a documentary artisy chic) I’d like to think that popping into a show and not having any understanding, makes for better dialogue, based on the fact that most folk are numb to the subliminal messages and stereotypical themes. This .. is due .. to watching .. too much tv.

If you were going to have a heart attack based on the hyper activity and franitic energy from the new episode, you might not be reading this today (rip). I won’t even speak on my issues with how the race and gay card are misplayed.. yet. What I will say now is that, I hate the concept that you have to have a rush of celebrities to start a season off. In my eyes it says fail. Are you paying them what they require as celebrities or do they need to be seen because they aren’t getting work currently, so you draw off woooows and who is nexts? Yes nobody cares about great yet unknown actors.(even if this means they are getting their “big break”) So either you have a big budget to pay celebrities or simply don’t want to risk time and money to develop characters and careers. I’m curious as to which one it is. (Dno if you can tell but I like the behind the scenes real story over the one they “create” for you). I also like a drawn strategic plot, not drawn out. I almost feel like I don’t need to see anymore after last weds. The idea of luring people into wanting to see more of the series didn’t happen for me. Yes I have an imagination and I like mystery too. No I couldn’t imagine that Lucious would be getting out of jail and back to “work” so quickly. The jail scenes and his interactions with inmates would make an interesting story of it’s own. No I’m not about prison life and most certainly the glamorization of it, but there is something to be said about how a music mogul might have or not have “pull” in prison. Yes the se7en (one of my favorite movies) head in the box idea added some gangster meets gore to shock the story. I’d like to see more prison moves and short comings for Luscious (no I don’t like the character and want him to fail miserably). The idea of twists and turn so quickly revealed, could speak to our lack of attention span and the directors need to beat you over the head quickly. This way you expect less and simply become overwhelmed by mediocre shock tv plots. I’m too real for this new world, I know.

The idea that they would use a rally mimicking the struggle of black people currently in this country, offends me. To create a campaign for a murdering criminal like Luscious Lyon even as a promotional scheme for cookie, but had no real character love for, was complete and utterly painful to watch. I sat there thinking, I can’t be the only one that sees how fucked up this is? No it’s not the first time they’ve latched hold of the struggle for black folks and anchored it to a plot for a show. I thought it was jacked up then too. I think I’m more sensitive now because there’s an eeiry quiet around protests and race matters currently in media. Yes art repeats life and vice versa but serious issues already are taken unseriously due to folk seeking only “tv views” of real life travesties. This shows along with entertainment overall, the plight to prove that we are too ready to be entertained by the sickest misfortunes our world creates of reality.(Google the definition of entertainment and read beyond the first)

The gay scenes didn’t bother me at all. There are pros and cons to this. Lmao (yes I’m a libra) I know what Lee Daniels intends and as controversial as some his racy gay scenes are, I see it as exploitive publicity stunts. His excuse will be he’s gay so he can. Do pimps pimp themselves? maybe do they do now.

Yes you can be entertained by the most painful of societal issues, because this is now “normal”. I am uninterested in the glamourizing of serious issues in our lives, that make people who have no other vested interest in us money. This is the history of our country I know, and why I continue to struggle with being here.

I’ve said before and will say again. This period may not be different from others historically. There’s always a moment when they manipulate the economy to further desperation. This creates oppurtunities based on “lacks”, which create enormous societal lows. We seem to like lows.(unfortunately)

No, no promoting this post via my other social media platforms. No imaging or logos. Empire doesn’t need any extra promotions as they have Fb and Twitter well sewn up. I’m not prepared to go to war with people who can’t be open to constructive criticism nor think.. critically..